


I wanted to have the sea so I swallowed you up

by oworestias



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, As a form of self-care, CFO Auguste, Finance Man Nik, M/M, Marketing Director Laurent, Naked Damen, Office AU, Secretary Nicaise, The regent died mysteriously pre-fic, drunk laurent, i guess?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2018-06-19
Packaged: 2019-05-18 22:11:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14861217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oworestias/pseuds/oworestias
Summary: You broke into my apartment drunk thinking it was your friend's house and I should call the cops but my cat kinda likes you so we're good AU





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this at like 2am enjoy~

 

Damen was suddenly pulled from sleep at the unmistakable sound of a window opening in his living room. The window with the fire escape just outside. The window that did not lock. He lay in his bed for a long moment when he heard a heavy thump and a muffled voice that made him kick down his covers a little frantically and dart to his bedroom door. He paused and listened again for a couple seconds but heard nothing. Damen heard Auri hop down from the bed and curl around his bare feet. She whined for him to open the door, but Damen picked up the cat and quickly dropped her on the bed.

 

Auri looked entirely unimpressed as Damen whispered to her, walking backwards to the door. “Baby shhh. Stay here for me.” He opened the door as silently as possible and crept down the hall.

 

The window was definitely open which meant there was someone inside his apartment. He could feel the December night air seeping in before he even got to the living room and realised belatedly he should have picked up the forgotten sweatpants off his floor before coming to investigate.  _Too late now_. The muffled voice was clearer from where he stood in the hall, hovering outside the living room.

 

“First you ask me to use the fire escape,” A man’s voice, one Damen didn't recognize and sounded slurred, “then you have the audacity not to lay out a cushion to break my fall.”

 

Damen heard a groan and some shuffling around, then nothing. He breathed in deeply and held it, counting to ten before exhaling silently, biting the bullet and going in. _I should have a weapon oh my god what if he-_

 

It was a young man. A little younger than himself, Damen guessed. He was haphazardly wrapped in a long grey scarf, as if he had tried to remove it and gave up. His heavy coat was in a similar state, with half the buttons undone and pushed off one shoulder. Long legs were draped over his now occupied couch, with one dangling over the back. Damen noticed the expensive looking boots the man was wearing, or rather the one boot the man was wearing. One sock clad foot lay over the far arm of the couch, like the man had yanked it off and forgotten about the other. Damen flicked his gaze up to the man's face, obscured a little by the scarf and long, messy hair. Damen moved silently into the room for a better look.

 

“Jord if you think you're being stealthy, I can tell you that-”

 

Damen froze when the young man suddenly lifted his face from where he had planted it on Damen's couch cushions and roughly pushed his hair out of the way as he spoke. He lifted his long-suffering gaze to Damen, which looked like it took a great deal of effort and when their eyes finally met paused. Damen stood in the middle of his living room like a deer in headlights, which was ridiculous,  _this is my apartment?_ He squared his shoulders and opened his mouth-

 

“Can I help you?”

 

_Uh._

 

“Excuse me?”

 

Damen blinked down at the man sprawled on his couch and wondered how someone so messy and clearly drunk could adapt such a business-like tone of sobriety while they were absently choking themselves with grey wool and wearing one boot.

 

The intruder tiredly held his gaze for a long second before letting his eyes drift down Damen's body. Damen felt the blood rise in his cheeks. He cleared his throat.

 

“Do you realise you're breaking and entering?” Damen felt the intruder’s eyes linger before they lifted to meet his gaze again. The man looked unimpressed. Damen was suddenly reminded of Auri. He didn't allow himself to smile and kept talking.

 

“You can't just break into someone's apartment and start-” he waved a hand vaguely at Laurent's sock clad foot, “undressing on their couch that's so weird and rude,” his voice was getting louder but he was on a roll now, “and  _illegal_. Who  _are you?”_

 

The intruder looked affronted. Then pissed.

 

“Jord really should be more selective with his one night stands because my being here is very-” Auri chose that moment to make herself known and promptly jumped into the intruder's lap and settled herself without preamble. “Oh- good evening- very clearly none of your business. Do you understand?”

 

Of all the various possible scenarios Damen had played out in his head before confronting the intruder, being scolded was not one of them. He looked incredulously at the scene before him. The intruder had arranged himself in a very deliberate casual sprawl on his couch with one hand absentmindedly petting his recently traitor cat and his hair, blond, Damen realised, as his face caught in the yellow glow of street light outside, like a golden vision of drunken authority.

 

Before he could get a good look at the man's face, Damen’s thoughts were interrupted.

 

“Close the window.”

 

Damen closed the window. Wait-

 

“Make yourself useful and wake up Jord. I need a blanket.

 

“Listen-”

 

“You might consider pants while your at it.” The intruder's eyes glanced down again and lingered before focusing his attention on Auri. Damen saw him smirk. “Or underwear, at least.”

 

“Hey, look-”

 

“-and when did Jord get a cat?”

 

_“HEY."_

 

A cool gaze lifted to watch Damen. He exhaled heavily then spoke.

 

“What's your name?”

 

The intruder, for the first time this evening, hesitated before saying, “Laurent.”

 

“Laurent, look. I don't know who Jord is and you're clearly in the wrong place so if you could just-” he began to gestured to the window then thought better of it and pointed to the front door instead. “Leave?”

 

Laurent moved slowly. He pulled himself up from the couch and stood, staggering a little before righting himself and looking around the room.

 

“Jord doesn't live here.” He said to as a statement, but Damen took it as a question.

 

“Nope. I live here. Maybe he lives in this building and you just for the floor wrong but-”

 

“What floor is this?”

 

“The fourth floor, so if you could just-” Damen bent down and grabbed the boot that had been kicked off and handed it to Laurent. He turned to take the boot and Damen finally got a good look at his face in strip of streetlight in the otherwise the dark room.

 

_Oh._

 

Damen snatched the boot from Laurent's loose grip. He smiled.

 

“It's late. I'm sure your friend won't mind if you crash-”

 

“-Jord.”

 

“-Jord won'tmind if you crash here, y'know?”

 

Laurent looked bewildered as he glanced around the room again before focusing on Damen.

 

“I'm Damen, by the way.”

 

He watched Laurent consider him and saw a faint blush colour his cheeks. Laurent's gaze darted away. After a pause Laurent spoke. Damen tried not to hold his breath.

 

“I suppose, Jord won't mind.”

 

“Of course, totally. He's probably sleeping anyway so do you want a blanket or-”

 

Laurent brushed passed him and walked down the hall with Auri trailing after him. “The bedrooms this way?”

 

Damen paused in the now empty living room while Laurent's words caught up with him. Then he bolted.

 

“Laurent, you're still drunk, I don't think-”

 

Laurent spun on his heels, his sock covered heel, and rested a palm against the door frame to Damen's bedroom. He smiled serenely.

 

“You don't think what?” He stopped Damen with a hand on his bare chest. He laughed sweetly and Damen felt the skin under Laurent's palm warm. “We're not fucking.”

 

He pat Damen's chest twice before turning and wandering into Damen's room. Damen followed.

 

Laurent sat on the bed and began unwinding the scarf around his neck, unsuccessfully. He huffed in frustration as his hair tangled around his face. Damen smiled and stepped between Laurent's legs. “Here.” He unwound the scarf and let it fall from his hands to the floor. He stepped back and moved to the dresser, pulling out a shirt and sweatpants and tossing them to into Laurent's lap. “Can you handle the rest?”

 

Laurent laughed sarcastically. “I don't need you to attend me. I'm perfectly capable myself, thank you.” He worked on the buttons of his coat, his movements sluggish and uncoordinated. Damen watched Laurent's back from his side of the bed and decided to take pity on him. He moved on his knees to hover over Laurent's shoulder and reach around him to open the buttons.

 

“What did I  _just say-”_

 

Laurent turned his head at the same time Damen turned at the sound of Laurents voice and Laurent realised too late how close they were when their lips brushed by mistake. Damen saw Laurent's eyes widen, and in the close proximity, even in the dark, he noticed they were blue. He noticed rosy cheeks and full lips open briefly in shock before clamping shut. He noticed Laurent exhale shallowly. He grinned.

 

“Can you handle the rest?”

 

Damen wiggled his eyebrows. Laurent flushed darker and scoffed.

 

“I can handle myself just fine."

 

“In that case can I-”

 

_“Damen.”_

 

Damen laughed and crawled back to his side of the bed. _My side of the bed, what am I doing? Both sides are my side of the bed, it's my bed!_ He was getting carried away, Laurent was a stranger for God's sake. Laurent was-

 

“Okay, I'm done.”

 

Laurent dropped his jeans on the floor and crawled under the covers beside Damen. He yawned widely and brushed his hair from his face distractedly. Damen turned on his side so they faced each other. He waited.

 

“Thank you,” despite Damen having met Laurent approximately 20 minutes previous, he had a feeling Laurent rarely spoke like this. He sounded  _bashful_. “For this, I mean. I don't usually...”

 

“Break the law?”

 

“I was going to say sleep with strangers, but that too, I suppose.”

 

Damen snickered. “Is that right?” Laurent smiled sleepily across the pillows and let his eyes drift shut. He hummed affirmative.

 

Damen smiled and closed his eyes. Laurent shifted around under the covers. Damen felt the soft cotton of his shirt press against his front and opened his eyes in surprise. Before he opened his mouth to speak, Laurent’s voice half muffled by the pillow, interrupted him.

 

“Shut up and sleep.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Relationships are literally this easy, haven't you heard? (Alternative summary: Nik is tired)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys this was supposed to be a one off prompt but now it's this so here we are 
> 
> Here's a few things that I forgot to include so I'll leave here:
> 
> When Damen loses it I'm imagining [this ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFYkto11Qw8) (0:48) 
> 
> I dunno if Nik lives in the same building as Damen, Jord lives in the building beside it so that's how Laurent made the mistake initially, maybe Nik dropped his shirt on the floor before he got on the bed or just wandered outside without one (you decide)
> 
> The ages are gonna be canon possibly or a little older but Laurent's the head of marketing for the company they work for and is some form of advertising/marketing genius bc he's def only 22/23 so you can guess everyone else's ages based on that I guess ??? 
> 
> I'm also basing their instas on Tom Heukels who 100% captions his pics like Alexa Chung and Marlon Teixera who is a handsome wine mom in disguise, if you don't follow them you should have a look lol
> 
> Anyways enjoy :3c

 

Laurent felt himself stirring under the covers. He pushed the beginnings of a headache away and burrowed deeper into the sheets, and the solid heat against his back. He shifted backwards and let the warmth seep through his shirt. He resolutely kept his eyes closed and sighed.

 

Under no circumstances was Laurent expecting an answering sigh. Nor was he expecting an arm to sling itself around his waist and slide down his stomach to slowly scratch at the light hair above his sweatpants. He certainly wasn't expecting a warm forehead to nuzzle into his hair and a half hard dick to grind into him sleepily from behind.

 

Laurent couldn't hold in the short gasp that escaped his mouth. He felt himself tense.

 

His bedmate seemed to notice. The slow grind came to a stop. Laurent felt the arm slung around him pull away and the sheets rustle as the other man sat up. He forced a steady exhale from his lungs before he did the same.

 

Oh.

 

Laurent was very suddenly aware that this was not his bed. He gave a cursory glance around the room, his eyes landing on a sleeping cat at the foot of the bed. A very large bed. The window to his left was still dark behind the blinds. It must be early, still. His clothes were on the floor in a messy heap, a sight that caused his breathing to catch a little before he felt the loose cotton across his chest. The bedroom door was shut.

 

_Alright._

 

He schooled his expression and finally turned to the sleep ruffled man beside him.

 

_Oh._

 

Tanned muscle was the first thing Laurent saw. His gaze slowly drifted from the covers that pooled at the man's hips, raking up a well-built chest and broad shoulders and oh my _god_ biceps that were sculpted by the gods, apparently. His pulled his gaze from the dark nipples that honestly looked _delicious, Christ,_ finally to the man's face and holy _shi-_

 

“I'm so sorry!”

 

_What._

 

“I'm sorry, I just thought that after last night you wanted-”

 

“Last night?”

 

The man hesitated. His eyes had grown wide before he looked at Laurent a little suspiciously.

 

“Do you… remember?”

 

He was supposed to stay at Jord’s apartment after their work night out. He vaguely remembered reassuring Jord he didn't have to wait for him while he attempted to beat Nik from the finance department in pool, then darts, then oh _god,_ he did karaoke last night, he-

 

“Laurent? You good?” Curious eyes peered at him. Laurent felt himself flush under the scrutiny.

 

“Yes, I just, I-” he cleared his throat, “I had a long night.”

 

He glanced back at the man, at _Damen,_ his mind supplied him with, and ran his hand through his hair, suddenly embarrassed.

 

“Sorry about…”

 

“Breaking into my home?” Laurent flushed deeper.

 

“Yes, that-”

 

“Or forging a better relationship with Auri more than I could ever seem to manage?”

 

Laurent's gaze darted back to Damen’s, who was smiling teasingly.

 

He felt a laugh bubble up from his chest.

 

“Can you blame her?” He heard an answering laugh and felt a smile tug at his lips. Auri seemed to wake at the sound of her name and stretched across the covers before sitting up.

 

“No, I really can't.”

 

Laurent smiled wider, then let his gaze flick down to the miles of tanned skin for a quick second before he crawled toward the foot of the bed and gathered Auri in his lap. She settled without argument and let her eyes drift shut. Damen looked like he was having an internal argument of his own at the sight, so Laurent cut him off.

 

“So why are you naked?”

 

Damen gasped shortly and yanked the covers up to cover his chest, disturbing Auri from her nap. Laurent huffed a laugh and tried to soothe her.

 

“I always sleep naked. It's _healthy.”_ Damen sniffed haughtily and pulled the sheet up a little higher, but he couldn't hide the smile from his lips.

 

Laurent eyed the bunched muscles of his biceps and silently agreed.

 

“Do you always fight intruders with your dick out too?”

 

Without missing a beat, Damen replied, “Fists up. Dick out. Duh.”

 

Laurent will refuse to admit that he outright cackled. Damen's chuckle could only faintly be heard over the noise. A couple rough thumps on the wall seemed to bring both men back to reality.

 

Damen rolled his eyes, but flushed all the same. “Neighbours.” He said.

 

“Ah, of course.” Laurent hesitated, unsure of what to really do now. The spot he had just vacated looked incredibly welcoming.

 

“I can go, it's no trou-” He interrupted himself with a wide yawn, tears prickling in his eyes and missed the altogether fond look Damen was sending his way.

 

“Why don't we sleep,” Damen picked up Auri and set her back at the foot of the bed, then turned behind himself to punch his pillow a few times before moving to lie back down. “For just a little while longer, yeah?”

 

Laurent took about 0.7 seconds of convincing before he was climbing under the covers and resettling himself back in the heat of the bed.

 

“Yes.”

 

The room was silent, save for the sounds of cars starting to drive by and people waking up outside. Laurent felt his eyes droop with heaviness when he felt a finger poke him in the centre of his back. He didn't open his eyes, just waited.

 

“So… No spooning or?”

 

Laurent didn't respond, just shuffled backwards on the mattress until his back met a warm chest and a strong arm wrapped itself around his waist. He smiled into the pillow.

 

“Just for a little longer.”

 

He heard the smile in Damen's voice as he was pulled closer. “Of course.”

 

-

 

The second time Laurent woke up, his cheek was warm against a strong chest. His leg was thrown over a bare hip and his hair was held back by a loosely curled fist. He sighed softly and shifted, feeling what must be a nipple brush against his upper lip. Laurent was still too asleep to feel it harden under his touch.  He felt the body under him exhale deeply and a strong hand reach down to his thigh to hike it further up. He felt himself doze again.

 

-

 

The third time Laurent woke up, he felt well rested. He was lying on his stomach, face smushed into the pillow, with a warm heavy body half draped over his own. He felt the tickle of a steady breath across his nape. He thought he liked it.

 

He pulled his arm from under the pillow and twisted slowly onto his back. Damen was apparently a deep sleeper, as his breathing remained steady and he nuzzled his face into the space where Laurent's shoulder met his neck. He had wedged a strong thigh between Laurent's own. Laurent could feel familiar hardness poking his lower belly. _Right._

 

“Damen.”

 

Silence.

 

Laurent brought his hands up and hesitated for a brief second before burying them in a mess of untamed curls. He pulled his hands slowly through Damen’s hair, softly massaging his scalp and untangling his bedhead.

 

That got a reaction.

 

A voice rough from sleep spoke into the soft skin of his neck. “More.”

 

Laurent smiled.

 

“Damen. Wake up.”

 

A groan.

 

“Should I stop?”

 

A longer groan. Laurent felt it against his skin.

 

“I'm up.”

 

Damen didn't move. He cracked open one eye and couldn't find Laurent's face from his vantage so he settled for staring at a cotton covered chest. He pulled his arm around Laurent's waist and hugged tighter.

 

“Okay, listen. I've been thinking.”

 

“Dangerous.”

 

“Ha ha. Shut up.” Damen kept his mouth otherwise shut, but smiled into Laurent's neck.

 

“Should we date?”

 

Damen seemed to expect this, Laurent thought, because the man lying on top of him didn't seem surprised at all. He stretched his back languidly and resettled himself over Laurent's side. He hummed, sleep warm and happy.

 

“We should. Should we?”

 

Laurent nodded. “We should.”

 

“Great.”

 

“Great.”

 

“Can we kiss?” Damen was still speaking into Laurent's neck.

 

“We haven't brushed our teeth.”

 

Laurent heard a sound like a man dying. He laughed and spoke before he could stop himself.

 

“Maybe just one.”

 

Damen's lips landed in his before he could finish getting the words out. Soft full lips pressed against his own for a long moment and Laurent felt his chest stutter and his breath catch. It was a soft drag against his own for a long quiet moment before Damen drew back and Laurent thought of nothing. For the first time in a long time his mind was blank. His eyes blinked open and were met with a bright expectant look.

 

“Good?”

 

Laurent felt his breath leave him all at once and his voice came out breathy. “Yes.”

 

Damen's face seemed to brighten even more and he moved closer to deliver a series of quick pecks to Laurent's lips before sitting up on the mattress and onto one of Laurent's thighs. The covers pooled behind him and Laurent was blessed with an unobstructed view of one of the nicest cocks he had ever seen. He didn't try to hide his gaze and it twitched under the attention. Even half hard it looked big. Damen however, was watching Laurent. He was smirking as he spoke.

 

“Right?”

 

Damen didn't anticipate the pillow that swiftly clocked him across the jaw. He landed on his side and narrowly avoided a sleepy cat that dashed off the bed. Damen was laughing, staring up at the ceiling. He could hear Auri whining to be let out. His chest felt light.

 

A halo of blond hair suddenly moved into his line of vision and he felt soft lips touch his own before he was left on the bed in a tangle of sheets. He heard the door open and the soft murmur of Laurent's voice drifting down the hall with Auri in search of the bathroom.

 

When he heard the soft click of the bathroom door locking, he turned onto his stomach, pulling the offending pillow under his face and _lost it._

 

So much so that he didn't hear the front door being kicked shut or the sound of sneakers being dropped onto the hardwood floor. He didn't hear socked feet make their way up the hall and pause in the door of his bedroom before coming inside and dropping down on the mattress beside him.

 

Damen finally opened his eyes and sighed, turning on his side to glance toward the door and promptly vault from the bed at the sight of his friend, shirtless, watching him from across the sheets.

 

“Jesus fucking christ, Nik!”

 

“Bad time?”

 

“When did you even-”

 

“During your little performance. Are you high?” Nik was laying on his side, hand cushioning his head, and absently scratching at his belly. Soft grey sweatpants hung low across his hips, and his socked feet were already burrowing under Damen's covers.

 

“Are _you_ high? You gotta go, I'm in the mid-” Nik rolled his eyes and reached out, pulling Damen back down onto the bed.

 

“No, I'm hungover, baby me.” Damen pushed Nik onto his back and sat up. Nik laughed and pushed him back.

 

“What's so important that you have to kick me out? Don't you wanna hear about my night?” Damen kicked at Nik's thigh and ended up on his back for his efforts. They started grappling.

 

“Fine. Hurry up and tell me about your night.”

 

“You remember the annoying guy that's head of marketing? Vere?” Nik twisted onto Damen and held him down on his stomach.

 

“His brother’s your superior, right? The CFO?” Damen tested the hold.

 

“Right. Well, last night we’re playing pool and I'm _killing it._ So when I win he tried to act all casual and suggests we move to darts, so we move to darts. And you know how I'm-”

 

“Literally the worst dart player in the universe, go on.”

 

“Shut up, yes. So he wins, which means we need a tie breaker. And also I feel like he wasn't as drunk as I was, which must count for something right? Like, I was _sauced_ and he seemed perfectly fin-”

 

“Oh my god.”

 

“Right? So the waitress gets up on the stage, the bar has a stage y’know-”

 

_“Nik.”_

 

“Karaoke. Damen. He beat me at karaoke.”

 

Damen released Nik from the choke hold and looked down at him in confusion.

 

“But you're so good at karaoke.”

 

“That's debatable.”

 

Two heads whipped around to the man stood in the doorway, who was smiling at the scene before him. Damen's expression was an answering grin, he moved away from him friend and reached out a hand to draw Laurent to the bed. Nik was looking between Damen and Laurent like he’d been backhanded by everyone in the room, including the cat.

 

“It's very irritating, isn't it?”

 

Several things happened at once.

 

Laurent moved into Damen's reach and was pulled onto the bed. Nik groaned loudly and pushed Damen off the mattress, who landed face first into Laurent's discarded coat and consequently felt it vibrating against his cheek. He rooted through the pocket and pulled out a phone, tossing it to Laurent who answered with an impassive 'hey’, before crawling back onto the bed and shoving Nik for the trouble.

 

“No, I never made it to Jord’s actually.”

 

Damen was half listening to Laurent's side of the conversation. He was more focused on smothering Nik in the pillows.

 

“No, I ended up committing a felony. Much more exciting, really.”

 

Damen heard the voice on the other end get increasing louder.

 

“I'm fine. I'm in bed with these two men who can't keep their hands off each other.”

 

Damen heard Laurent snicker away from the phone and say, “Auguste, one sec, look.”

 

There was a pregnant pause before Damen heard a new voice, the voice Laurent had been talking to, loud and clear as it sounded across the bed. “Is that Nik from _finance?”_

 

Nik pulled himself up from the pillows and turned, wide-eyed, to see Auguste Vere gawking at him from Laurent's screen.

 

He cleared his throat. “Mr. Vere, good morning.”

 

Now Damen was the one snickering. That caught Auguste’s attention.

 

“You don't work for us.” His eyes flicked to Laurent suspiciously, “Laurie, who's that one?”

 

Nik mouthed ‘Laurie’ and received a punch to his bicep from the man himself. “Auguste, this is Damen. The victim of my felony.”

 

“You're _what?”_ Nik was staring at Damen for an explanation, but Damen was focused entirely on Laurent.

 

“Oh my god, do I need to call our lawyer? And why is he _naked?_ Nik, are you naked too?” Auguste was trying to peer through the screen and Nik shuffled quickly onto his knees, showing his covered legs.

 

“No, Jesus Christ no.” Nik’s voice took on a tone of vague desperation. “I'm not involved in _this.”_ He gestured vaguely to the mess of limbs where Laurent had crawled into Damen's lap and was reclining back against his chest. His expression was barely contained disgust. Laurent laughed. Damen felt it against his chest and grinned. Auguste looked concerned. Laurent looked delighted.

 

Laurent heard more than felt his belly rumble. The occupants of the bed all turned to Laurent's stomach.

 

“Laurie, have you eaten? I'm coming over.” Damen could see Auguste move around on Laurent's screen. He heard the jingle of car keys. “Where are you guys? I'll pick up breakfast.” Damen rattled off his address and didn't let himself think about how weird this situation was. Nik looked like he was close to fainting. He heard Laurent list his breakfast order before Auguste hung up and they were left in a blissfully brief silence.

 

“What the _fuc-”_

 

“Nik, shut up. Laurie, is he bringing bacon? I'll start making coffee.”

 

Laurent laughed at the nickname and moved to get out of bed. “Yes. Please cover your dick before he gets here.”

 

Laurent climbed off the bed and left the room. Damen pulled open a drawer and put on a loose pair of black joggers that were ripped at the knees. He turned to Nik and rolled his eyes.

 

“C'mon, lemme nurse your hangover.”

 

Nik groaned and let himself be pulled from the sheets.

 

They joined Laurent in the kitchen, Nik sat beside him at the island while Damen started making coffee. Auri wandered in and wound around Nik's chair, he reached down and pet her absently. It was a little before noon, and the noises from the street outside Damen's apartment was filtering inside. He reached across the counter and turned on his tablet and small speaker before opening Spotify. Laurent’s elbows were on the counter as he browsed Instagram on his phone.

 

Damen sat beside Nik, who had lay his head on the counter and shut his eyes. Laurent and Damen sat quietly sipped their coffee until Auguste arrived several minutes later. Damen spent it wondering what Laurent's Instagram would look like. He watched Laurent scrolling through his feed, and eventually grabbed his own phone off the counter, unlocking it to open the app. Laurent snagged it from his hand before he could get that far however. Damen couldn't see what Laurent was doing, so he waited, watching him curiously.

 

“Here. Now we follow each other.” Laurent handed back his phone. Damen didn't pretend to his hide eagerness and immediately raked through Laurent's profile. Laurent laughed and went back to his own feed. Several seconds later Damen's snooping was interrupted by notifications. One after the other. Damen chuckled and looked across his sleeping friends body to Laurent, who was smiling at his screen.

 

“You caption like a wine mom.”

 

Damen huffed and received a sleepy swat to the thigh. He grinned across at Laurent.

 

“What about you, huh?” He scrolled to the top of the page to change the viewing format and started liking each photo, one by one. “Who's your coach, Alexa Chung?”

 

Laurent snorted and quickly flushed but didn't deny it.

 

They poked fun at each other’s feeds until eventually the doorbell rang, and Laurent answered moved to answer with Auri on his heels. Damen got up to make more coffee when Laurent entered the kitchen, Auguste in tow.

 

“This is so cute and domestic, oh my god.”

 

Damen turned and saw Auguste and immediately saw the family resemblance. Laurent's hair was lighter and longer, and more androgynous features. Auguste was all strong jaw and broad shoulders and a winning smile. He came in behind Laurent and took off his sweater, leaving him in a t-shirt and sweatpants, like his brother, before leaning down and picking up Auri who immediately began to purr. _Is it a family thing or-_

 

“So, you must be Damen.”

 

Laurent began moving around the kitchen with bags of food that smelled _delicious._ Nik reanimated at the sign of breakfast. He got up from his seat and began pulling out plates.

 

“Nice to meet you, Auguste, right?” Damen reached over to shake hands. Auguste shifted Auri up against his chest to free one of his hands.

 

“Nice to see you’re dressed. Or half dressed at least.” Auguste looked over at Nik while they shook. “Unless shirtless is the dress code here.” Laurent rolled his eyes.

 

“Can we do the formal thing later please, I'm starving.”

 

He pushed between them and edged Auguste over to an empty seat. Auguste let Auri slip out of his lap and accepted a cup of coffee from Nik with a smile.

“We can do casual. _Should_ I take off my shirt? Is that casual enough for you, baby bro?” Auguste made to reach behind himself as Laurent groaned from his seat beside him.

 

Nik was looking between the two brothers with something akin to bland acceptance. He still looked considerably withered than before he'd seen Laurent. Damen felt momentarily bad until Laurent dropped some bacon onto his plate.

 

They ate in a comfortable silence. Passing the boxes of different breakfast foods back and forth and refilling coffee cups here and there. Auguste was eyeing Laurent, who looked entirely at ease as he cut up a sausage. Laurent seemed to sense the attention, and turned to his brother with an expectant quirk to his brow. Auguste watched him for a moment longer before saying, “You shouldn't eat with your hair in your face.” He said it like he had said it a thousand times before. Laurent reacted as such.

 

Damen and Nik had been eating quietly, but turned to see Laurent pivet in his seat without a word. They watched as he twisted in his chair and stabbed a piece of sausage with his fork before bringing it to his mouth, while Auguste put down his coffee and went to work pulling Laurent's hair into a high bun on the top of his head. Nik discreetly turned to Damen to share a _look_ but was instead greeted with a serious case of moon eyes.

 

Nik turned back to his plate and decidedly kept his eyes forward.

 

“So, a felony.”

 

Laurent hummed.

 

“Nik, do you know-”

 

“Mr. Vere, please don't involve me in whatever is happening here.” Nik spoke quickly into his coffee. Damen rolled his eyes.

 

“Auguste, it's really not a problem. It was cute, really-”

 

“You think a felony is cute? Laurent, what does he mean cute? What did you _do?”_ Auguste was using his stern voice, one that Laurent had a certain distaste for.

 

“He said it's not a problem. So it's not a problem.” Laurent sounded bored, he took a slow bite of toast and side-eyed his brother from his seat.

 

“How is it not a problem? Damen, what did Laurent do? Did he break something? He hasn't promised you anything, has he?” Auguste was sitting straight backed in his chair with a serious look on his face that only slightly contrasted with his loose sweatpants and old t shirt.

 

Laurent interrupted before Damen could speak. “It's not a problem because he's hardly going to press charges against his boyfriend.”

 

“His _what?”_ Nik whipped around to stare incredulously at Damen while Auguste gasped suddenly. He dropped his serious demeanour and turned to Laurent with an expression that was unmistakably _delighted._

 

“You have a boyfriend? Laurie, that's great!”

 

Damen was smiling like he'd won the lottery. Laurent was smiling like he knew exactly when the world was going to end. He flicked his gaze from his brother to Nik, who looked a little pale. Laurent rested his hand lightly on Nik’s forearm and said sweetly, “Looks like we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other. Hm?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may or may not make this into a series I dunno this just happened somehow but now that Auguste is alive I gotta give Laurent the best brother of all time sooooo pls tell me what you think and if I do more of this it's just gonna be more prompts so pls [send em](https://oworestias.tumblr.com/ask) my way !!!!!!!!!!!! I'm also gonna be posting updates about this i think so follow me there for more goss
> 
> (Also if you're reading my other drunk fic w Pallas and Laurent pls be patient I have the chapter 75% done I'm just trying to flush it out I'm sorry it's taking ages ahhh thank you for reading)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a whole thing now so [here's](https://oworestias.tumblr.com/post/174885251369/ive-been-thinking-about-modern-au-jobs-and-can) the vague plan so far

 

Laurent woke slowly.

 

He felt the insistent pressure against his bladder that forced him bleary eyed out of bed and into the ensuite where he relieved himself quickly. He came back to bed and crawled under the covers. The lingering heat on the sheets seeped into his shirt and he burrowed further down the mattress. He rolled on his side and slowly shifted to the centre of the bed where he met sleep warm skin. He brushed his cheek against the soft hair of Damen's thigh and moved a little closer, sighing softly.

 

Damen slept deeply, his head settled on the pillows.

 

Laurent let himself doze, content to rest his cheek on Damen's thigh and be pulled back to sleep. He pressed sleepy kisses to the skin closest his lips and ran a hand up Damen's flank, feeling the thick muscle relax under his palm in slow sweeping movements. Damen mumbled something into the pillows and Laurent tried to focus on what he was saying. A ringing sounded above his head and the soft skin and warm weight of another body in his bed vanished.

 

Laurent woke up.

 

He slowly blinked the sleep from his eyes and saw an all too familiar bedroom. The comforting weight of his down duvet trapped the heat under the covers. He turned his head and buried it between silk pillows. Laurent groaned and reached for his phone, lost somewhere on the mattress. It chimes once more from under one of the pillows. Notifications for instagram and his email, but no messages.  _Hm._

 

The sounds coming from down the hall were coming into focus now. He could hear the faint murmur of his mother speaking with Auguste and the noise of the tv coming from her room. Laurent rolled onto his back and pushed the covers off his chest, taking a deep breath to orient himself before grabbing his phone, pulling himself from the bed and making his way down the hall. He caught a glimpse out the window as he left his room and thanked whatever gods and his mother for their underfloor heating. He closed one or two buttons on his pyjama shirt anyway, and pushed open his mother's bedroom door.

 

A tray of breakfast pastries and warm toast sat at the foot of the bed, half eaten. Hennike smiled when Laurent made his way into the room, crawling under the covers and grabbing a slice of toast. She passed him her cup and said, “Darling, you look flushed. Are you feeling well?”

 

Auguste snorted into his tea, keeping his eyes on the tv.

 

“Maybe he was dreaming about his  _boyfriend, ooooh._ ” Hennike laughed when Laurent rolled his eyes. He passed her back the cup and leaned back against the cushioned headboard, only mildly exasperated.

 

“Mom, tell your son to mind his business.” Hennike swatted Laurent's arm affectionately and gave Auguste a knowing look. She smiled down at her youngest and reached up to brush Laurent's hair from his face.

 

“Don't speak to your brother like that. Now, Auguste has a point. Why haven't you told me about this boy? Damon?” She turned to Auguste, a quizzical quirk to her brow, “like Matt Damon?”

 

Laurent groaned loudly into his hands over Auguste’s amused, “yes, exactly!”

 

“No, it's Damen, short for Damianos.” He could hear his mother cooing for him to continue as she sipped her tea. “He's Greek and he's not a boy, he's older. Nearly the same age as Auguste.” Laurent lowered his hands and peered suspiciously at his family. Auguste was smiling into his cup while his mother had an encouraging sparkle in her eyes that made Laurent even more suspicious.

 

“An older man, hmm?”

 

Auguste laughed as Hennike winked at Laurent. “I knew you took after your mother.” Laurent felt the chuckle bubble up from his chest at that. He couldn't hide the blush creeping across his cheeks. Auguste hummed teasingly and reached for his phone across the sheets. “What if we snooped his insta?” Already unlocking his screen and opening the app.

 

Laurent's sigh was drowned out by Hennike’s enthused yes.

 

Hennike laughed and wrapped a comforting arm around Laurent's waist, “Laurie, we’re just teasing. Let's see how handsome this Damen is, hmm?” She kissed his pink cheek and leaned over to see Auguste's screen.

 

Laurent huffed. “Of course he's handsome.” He said, mostly to himself.

 

“Auguste’s already met him, they're practically friends now.” Hennike laughed at her son’s mocking tone. Auguste reached behind his mother's back to shove Laurent off the bed, unsuccessfully.

 

“Are they now?”

 

“Yeah mom, we're bros.” Auguste ignored Laurent mimicking him to his mother and her answering laugh and kept scrolling. He tapped on a recent post from the week before, with himself and Damen at the biannual company picnic. After the impromptu breakfast at Damen's apartment, they realised they went to the same gym. Auguste was excited to have a gym buddy just as much as Damen was excited to learn more about Laurent and his personal life, and that meant hitting the gym with his boyfriend’s older brother three times a week.

 

“See, here's [ me ](https://www.instagram.com/p/BjL0jzwH3UE/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=mjyxw0ujqr1b)  with  _Big Handsome Damen.”_

 

 _“Oh,_  let me see, let me see.” Hennike took the phone from Auguste and looked down at the screen expectantly. She paused long enough to look between her eldest and the phone in her hands. Auguste was standing behind Damen in the selfie, arms bare and crossed over his chest, despite the winter temperatures. Neither man was smiling. Damen was wearing a camo windbreaker and a bucket hat. Hennike dragged her eyes from the screen back to her son, making no effort to hide the dubious expression on her face.

 

“Honey, this is not a good photo.” Laurent laughed delightedly at Auguste’s indignant  _'what? We caught golden hour’._

 

“Why are you both dressed like that in January?” She turned to Laurent, confusion knitting her brow, “does he dress like that all the time?”

 

“We were at the company beach picnic, mom. It was  _casual.”_ Auguste spoke over Laurent's snickering.

 

“You invited him to a work event?” She eyed Laurent. “Already?” Laurent had reached for another slice of toast and shook his head as he chewed.

 

“Mom, no. He went with Nik from finance. Look.” Laurent swept the phone from his mother's hands, and pulled up another post. Damen was sitting with a dog in this picture. He wore a plain white t-shirt, that complimented his tan skin with rolled up black jeans and looked effortlessly handsome, a feat Laurent was equally impressed by and jealous of.

 

“[ Here ](https://www.instagram.com/p/BhH7HAKn6_S/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=ddq1oe2l8cus), see.”

 

“Hmm, he has a dog? That's lovely.” Hennike used her fingers to zoom into Damen's face while Laurent held it out to her. She eyed his warm, disarming smile and sneaked a glance at her son. Auguste’s attention had migrated to the tv. A half eaten pain au chocolat rested on a napkin in his lap.

 

“No, he has a cat. I think the dog is Nik’s.” Hennike hummed and zoomed out.

 

“Nik and Damen seem close. Are you sure  _they're_  not dating?” Laurent rolled his eyes good-naturedly at his mother. “No, they've apparently been best friends since they were children.”

 

Auguste hummed and added, “Nik told me Damen's the closest thing to a brother he has.” He picked up his pastry and finished it in three quick bites.

 

Hennike tapped another post and made a noise that immediately sent an embarrassed flush across Laurent's cheeks. “That's [ Nik ](https://www.instagram.com/p/BjtRKMhnB9V/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=ucf8zq31pkp9), right? I've spoken to him once or twice on the phone when I call the office.” She zoomed into the photo of two very shirtless men and hummed appreciatively, while Auguste laughed into her shoulder, perusing Damen’s bare skin. Laurent leaned over to see, despite himself.

 

“Damen  _is_  very handsome, Laurie. Well done.” She turned and pat his warm cheek with her cool palm before handing the phone back to Auguste and reaching for a scone and jam.

 

The clacking of heels could be heard from the stairs, steadily getting closer and Laurent turned expectantly toward the door. Hennike and Auguste had drifted their attention to the tv when the door swung open and a strikingly pretty boy stood in the doorway, his boots finally coming to a halt when his impatient gaze landed on Laurent.

 

“You ask me to meet you in the office for 9 and then stood me up for some kind of family love fest? Really?” Nicaise dropped his bag at the door and all but stomped into the room, perching on the foot of the bed and grabbing a pastry for himself. Hennike poured him a fresh cup of tea and handed it to the him. “Nicaise darling, I hope my son isn't torturing you too much.”

 

Laurent took his time finishing his toast. “Did I?” He smiled indulgently when Nicaise huffed around a mouthful of croissant. “Oops.”

 

“If I wasn't blessed with this youthful glow, I'd be worried this job would give me wrinkles.” He made a face at Laurent as Hennike laughed. “Now, boys. Behave.”

 

“I could just fire him and all our troubles would melt away.” Laurent considered it very convincingly as he drained the last of his tea. Nicaise snorted.

 

“You wouldn't last a day without me cleaning up your messes.” He sniffed primly and finished his pastry, taking a sip from his cup. Auguste shared a knowing smile with his mother before climbing out of the bed and stretching as he made his way to the door. He ruffled Nicaise’s soft curls on the way out and laughed at the indignant 'hey!’ he received in response.

 

“Alright boys. Up, up.” Hennike shooed Laurent and Nicaise from her bed and followed them to the door. She straightened Nicaise's [ coat ](https://www.freshdesignpedia.com/wp-content/uploads/summer-looks-2016-be-inspired-by-the-great-fashion/sommeroutfits-burberry-2016-summer-fashion-trenchcoat-beige-mens-clothing-tie-sport-pants.jpg) and ushered him into the hallway. “Downstairs. 20 minutes.” Nicaise nodded and strode down the hall to Laurent's room. He yelled ‘20 minutes’ as he passed Auguste's room and received a vague affirmative shout coming from behind the closed door. Laurent leaned in to peck his mother on the cheek and followed his secretary to his room, where he found Nicaise laying across his bed with his coat hung over the mirror. Laurent rolled his eyes and moved to his closet.

 

Nicaise was scrolling through his phone and idly sipping his tea. “Wear the wool suit, it's freezing today.”

 

Laurent slipped on thick socks and rifled through the rack of suits before he felt heavy wool and pulled down the hanger. He got [ dressed ](https://78.media.tumblr.com/23b63bfe58f9777fc06674c2d1baab6e/tumblr_mhj1u5c8Qf1qc8xtuo1_540.jpg) quickly and made his was over to his dresser, grabbing a watch and clasping it on his wrist. Nicaise pulled himself from the bed and slipped his coat back on, standing in the mirror and fixing his hair before walking out the door without a second glance. Laurent grabbed a heavy coat and scarf and picked up his phone from where he left it on the dresser and followed Nicaise downstairs. Auguste's door was open as he passed it and he found his brother standing in the foyer by the elevator wrapping a scarf around Nicaise’s bare neck.

 

“If you get sick we’re all doomed.” He pulled it down under Nicaise's chin and put his hands firmly on the younger boy's shoulders. “The fate of this family rests on your shoulders.”

 

Nicaise smacked his hands away as Auguste laughed teasingly. Laurent noticed the faint blush dusting his cheeks. He smirked.

 

Hennike made her way downstairs and met them at the elevator, finishing her call. The doors opened and she stepped inside, finally glancing up from her phone.

 

“Who was that?”

 

Hennike’s tone was deliberately bland. “That was Nik from finance.” She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, the rest pulled back in a tousled french twist.

 

“Mom, why were you speaking with Nik from finance?” Laurent kept his voice neutral. He watched the closed doors.

 

“How else am I supposed to invite him to lunch if I don't call him, Laurie?” She plucked a non-existent piece of fluff from Laurent’s shoulder and otherwise kept her eyes forward. Auguste was smiling. Nicaise rolled his eyes.

 

“Why would you invite Nik from finance to lunch? After a younger man now that I've got mine?”

 

“Ha ha, very clever. You'll find out soon, since you'll be coming too.” The doors opened and they stepped out into the lobby of their building. Two cars idled outside the door, waiting to take them to the office and to Hennike’s meeting uptown.

 

Hennike pulled leather gloves from her pocket and slipped them on before moving to the entrance. She turned before she climbed into the backseat and smiled devilishly at her son. Despite the frosty temperatures, Laurent began to sweat.

 

“It's time to meet the boyfriend. Don't you think?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is gonna update sporadically so pls bear with me lmao
> 
> Re: insta posts  
> Damen is gonna be beefy AF in this so Marlon and his beautiful lithe model bod is more of a base line and Auguste is gonna be very much the Handsome Bachelor with a heart of gold that everyone wants to bang so make of that what you will 
> 
> Let me know if you find the links to the insta posts and outfits helpful or just annoying I'm just trying it out lol and I'm tempted to go through lots of outfits bc Laurent (and Nicaise) are the most well dressed boys in the office sooooo
> 
> Also I realise I refer to nicause as a younger boy in this but he's def 19/20 and he's not gonna get with Auguste it's just a cute crush bc honestly who wouldn't 
> 
> Anyways enjoy lemme know what y'all think

**Author's Note:**

> I started doing prompts on [tumblr](http://oworestias.tumblr.com) so send me ideas/things you wanna read~ (or if you wanna chat :3c )  
> S


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